Russia’s war on Ukraine: Update, March 14, No. 2, pm

Here are the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine:

– Russia could take ‘full control’ –

As Russian forces surround several Ukrainian cities Moscow warns it could place them under the Kremlin’s “full control”.

A Kremlin spokesman says Russian forces have so far held off on a full-scale onslaught on large cities “because the civilian losses would be large” but that Moscow “does not rule out the possibility of putting large cities under its full control”.

– Fourth round of talks –

The warning comes as a fourth round of talks between Ukraine and Russia are held via videoconference.

Russian officials describe the talks as “hard” as the two sides trade accusations over civilian deaths.

– ’23 dead’ in attack on rebel region –

Russia says 23 people were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on the separatist stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, calling it a “war crime”.

The Russian-backed separatists earlier said 16 people died after they shot down a Ukrainian rocket.

– Strike hits Kyiv apartments –

One person is killed and 12 others injured after an air strike on a residential building in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which has been bracing for a major offensive.

The toll was revised down from an earlier figure of two dead.

– Zelensky to address Congress –

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the US Congress by video link-up on Wednesday, House and Senate leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer announce.

Congress last week approved nearly $14 billion in aid to Ukraine.

– Musk to Putin: Let’s duel

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, challenges Russian President Vladimir Putin to a fight over Ukraine.

“I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stakes are Ukraine,” the eccentric SpaceX founder tweets.

– China hit back over aid claim –

China accuses Washington of spreading “disinformation” over Beijing’s role in the Ukraine conflict, without directly addressing reports in US media that Russia is seeking Chinese military and economic aid.

Washington has warned Beijing against helping Russia evade sanctions.

– Chernobyl without power again –

Ukraine says the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986, has lost power for the second time since falling into Russian hands at the start of the invasion.

– Moscow says West wants ‘artificial default’ –

Russia’s finance ministry accuses foreign countries of trying to force the country into an “artificial default” through unprecedented sanctions.

Moscow says it will meet its debt obligations but warned it could make repayments in rubles, rather than the currency of issue.

– Cars leave Mariupol via safe corridor –

More than 160 civilian cars drive out of the besieged southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol along a humanitarian evacuation route, the city authorities say.

The successful evacuation comes after several failed attempts with Russian forces surrounding the port city on the Azov Sea.

Nearly 2,200 residents have been killed and heavy Russian bombardment has left 400,000 inhabitants with no running water or heating and food scarce, the authorities say.

– Zelensky warns NATO –

Zelensky says it is “only a matter of time” before Russian rockets hit NATO territory, a day after 35 people were killed in Russian air strikes on a military training ground outside Lviv, near Poland.

Zelensky has been urging NATO to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine.

– US journalist killed –

US documentary maker Brent Renaud is shot dead in Irpin, medics and witnesses say, becoming the first foreign reporter killed since Russia’s invasion.

– Hundreds held in Russia protests –

Russian police detain more than 800 people across 37 cities for protesting Moscow’s “military operation” in Ukraine.

Nearly 15,000 people have reportedly been detained since the invasion began on February 24.

– 2.8 million flee –

Over 2.8 million people have fled the war in Ukraine.

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